The Sussexes Just Announced Some Major News About the Split from Their Joint Charity with the Cambridges
Don't dry those tears just yet, Fab Four fans. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are still breaking away from the Royal Foundation that they shared with Kate Middleton and Prince William, but they've announced some big updates to the plan.
According to Rebecca English of The Daily Mail, the Cambridges and the Sussexes have jointly announced the hiring of a new CEO. Current CEO to the Royal Foundation, Lorraine Heggessey, will step down at the end of September. She will be replaced by ex-PR chief, Jason Knauf.
The change in management will take place on October 1 when Knauf assumes his role as head of Kate and William's Royal Foundation, which seems to indicate that Meghan and Harry's new charity will begin on that date as well.
Markle and Harry issued a statement about the change. "It has been a great pleasure to work alongside Lorraine over the past couple of years, to champion the causes that we feel so strongly about, and we wish her well for the next stage of her career," the Sussexes said in the statement.
Middleton and William also thanked former CEO Heggessey in the statement. "'Lorraine has played an integral role in our charitable initiatives over the last two and a half years... We are pleased that Jason has been appointed as CEO and very much look forward to working with him in his new role."
Last week, royal correspondent Emily Andrews of The Sun revealed that Buckingham Palace had filed a certificate of incorporation for a private limited company, the new royal foundation for Meghan and Harry, that's to be called "Sussex Royal." Royal fans will recognize the new name: It's the same as Meghan and Harry's Instagram handle.
The new registration filing for the foundation also revealed the charity's four directors: Meghan and Harry (of course) plus their communications secretary, Sara Latham, and former Royal Foundation staffer Natalie Campbell, who will serve as the new CEO.
In June, the Sussexes officially called it quits with the Cambridges when it comes to the couples' shared professional responsibilities. Kensington Palace announced that the Fab Four were splitting from The Royal Foundation, a joint charity they shared with Kate Middleton and Prince William. The two couples have headed up the venture since Markle joined the royal family upon her marriage to Harry. Before that, the Royal Foundation was led by Harry and William, with Kate added when she married William in 2011.
So, it's unofficially official, then. Sussex Royal begins in October. (Mark thy royal calendars, people.)
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